CBS Sports updates College Football Playoff, full Bowl predictions ahead of Week 5
This past Saturday produced an incredible day of college football from start to finish. The day began with a back-and-forth showdown between Clemson and Florida State, which wasn’t decided until overtime.
It went on to include multiple wild finishes, including Notre Dame and Ohio State. It’s no surprise that there was a shakeup to the CBS Sports bowl predictions ahead of Week 5 after all of the insane action that took place this past weekend.
However, the top four did remain the same. Here is the updated full college football bowl predictions from CBS Sports:
1. Georgia
Georgia continues to pile up wins against lesser competition, but the Bulldogs haven’t been as dominant as we are accustomed to seeing through the first four games of the season. Kirby Smart’s team was tied with UAB at 7-7 in the second quarter, and the score was still competitive at 28-14 at halftime.
Georgia did get its passing game going, tossing for 394 yards, but it also allowed UAB to pass for 250. The Bulldogs will play their first road game of the season this weekend at Auburn, and with the competition getting a little tougher, perhaps the intensity level and focus of Georgia will, too.
2. Michigan
Speaking of teams that are winning but not dominating, Michigan was in a battle with Rutgers for a half on Saturday, before eventually pulling away. The Wolverines fell behind 7-0 early but battled back to take a 14-7 halftime lead. They went on to win 31-7.
Michigan is also set to get its first road test of the season this weekend with a matchup at Nebraska. There’s no doubt that Jim Harbaugh would like to see his team play better as the games gets tougher.
3. Texas
The opponent for Michigan in the Rose Bowl is predicted to be Texas, at this point. A week after letting Wyoming hang around for a while, Texas took care of business on Saturday against Baylor. The Longhorns led 28-6 at the half and cruised to a comfortable 32-point win.
Texas continues to play well on both sides of the ball and looks like one of the best teams in college football. The Longhorns have back-to-back tough tests coming up as they host a ranked Kansas team on Saturday, before facing Oklahoma on Oct. 7.
4. Florida State
In the other playoff game, CBS predicts Georgia will face Florida State in the Sugar Bowl. The Seminoles got all they wanted from Clemson on Saturday but were ultimately able to beat the Tigers for the first time since 2014.
It wasn’t always pretty, and Florida State has plenty to improve on. But they look like true College Football Playoff contenders to this point. FSU went 2-0 against arguably its two toughest tests of the season in LSU and Clemson.
Fiesta Bowl: Washington vs. Tulane
Washington continues to make a strong case for the CFP as Michael Penix Jr. and his loaded group of receivers lead the country in total offense and passing offense and are No. 3 in scoring offense. In a loaded Pac-12, the Huskies might be the best of the bunch.
Meanwhile, Tulane is in position to make a New Year’s Six bowl game for the second consecutive year. The Green Wave showed last season that they can compete with the best of the best, beating USC.
Orange Bowl: North Carolina vs. Ohio State
Ohio State had arguably the biggest win of the weekend, going on the road and battling back to knock off a really good Notre Dame team. The Buckeyes showed toughness and heart late to find a way to win and stay in the College Football Playoff conversation.
Mack Brown and the Tar Heels also got a road win on Saturday, earning a 17-point victory at Pitt. With Drake Maye at quarterback and an improving defense, North Carolina is dangerous against anyone it plays.
Peach Bowl: Alabama vs. Penn State
Alabama isn’t done yet. A lot of people had given up on the Crimson Tide even making a New Year’s Six Bowl, but Nick Saban rallied the troops and got a big-time, impressive win over Ole Miss on Saturday. They have road games at Mississippi State and at Texas A&M up next.
The CBS Sports prediction for Alabama’s opponent in the Peach Bowl is currently Penn State. The Nittany Lions completely dominated a ranked Iowa team on Saturday. Drew Allar passed for four touchdowns for Penn State, while the Hawkeyes were shut out and managed only 76 yards of offense.
Cotton Bowl: USC vs. LSU
Caleb Williams and USC continue to impress early on in the college football season. The Trojans were challenged at Arizona State, but held off the Sun Devils for a 14-point win to improve to 4-0. USC currently leads the nation in scoring, averaging 55 points per game.
A matchup with LSU in the Cotton Bowl would likely feature a lot of point as the Tigers also have an excellent quarterback in Jayden Daniels. LSU was challenged on Saturday but held on for a 34-31 win over Arkansas. Daniels passed for 320 yards and four touchdowns in the win.
Remaining college football bowl game projections
SATURDAY, Dec. 16
Bahamas Bowl: FIU vs. Eastern Michigan
Thomas A. Robinson National Stadium (Nassau, Bahamas)
11 a.m., ESPN and the ESPN App
R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl: Liberty vs. Appalachian State
Caesars Superdome (New Orleans)
2:15 p.m., ESPN and the ESPN App
Cure Bowl: Central Michigan vs. Marshall
Exploria Stadium (Orlando, Florida)
3:30 p.m., ABC and the ESPN App
New Mexico Bowl: San Diego State vs. UTSA
University Stadium (Albuquerque, New Mexico)
5:45 p.m., ESPN and the ESPN App
LA Bowl: Oregon State vs. Fresno State
SoFi Stadium (Inglewood, California)
7:30 p.m., ABC and the ESPN App
Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl: BYU vs. Colorado
Independence Stadium (Shreveport, Louisiana)
9:15 p.m., ESPN and the ESPN App
MONDAY, Dec. 18
Myrtle Beach Bowl: Troy vs. Toledo
Brooks Stadium (Conway, South Carolina)
2:30 p.m., ESPN and the ESPN App
TUESDAY, Dec. 19
Scooter’s Coffee Frisco Bowl: SMU vs. Oklahoma State
Toyota Stadium (Frisco, Texas)
9 p.m., ESPN and the ESPN App
THURSDAY, Dec. 21
RoofClaim.com Boca Raton Bowl: Rice vs. Coastal Carolina
FAU Stadium (Boca Raton, Florida)
8 p.m., ESPN and the ESPN App
FRIDAY, Dec. 22
Union Home Mortgage Gasparilla Bowl: Georgia Tech vs. South Alabama
Raymond James Stadium (Tampa, Florida)
6:30 p.m., ESPN and the ESPN App
SATURDAY, Dec. 23
Birmingham Bowl: West Virginia vs. South Carolina
Protective Stadium (Birmingham, Alabama)
Noon, ABC and the ESPN App
Camellia Bowl: Louisiana Tech vs. James Madison
Cramton Bowl (Montgomery, Alabama)
Noon, ESPN and the ESPN App
Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl: TCU vs. UNLV
Amon G. Carter Stadium (Fort Worth, Texas)
3:30 p.m., ABC and the ESPN App
Famous Idaho Potato Bowl: Northern Illinois vs. Wyoming
Albertsons Stadium (Boise, Idaho)
3:30 p.m., ESPN and the ESPN App
68 Ventures Bowl: Middle Tennessee State vs. Georgia Southern
Hancock Whitney Stadium (Mobile, Alabama)
7 p.m., ESPN and the ESPN App
SRS Distribution Las Vegas Bowl: Iowa vs. Utah
Allegiant Stadium (Las Vegas)
7:30 p.m., ABC and the ESPN App
EasyPost Hawai’i Bowl: Boise State vs. FAU
Clarence T.C. Ching Athletics Complex (Honolulu)
10:30 p.m., ESPN and the ESPN App
TUESDAY, Dec. 26
Quick Lane Bowl: Army vs. Miami (OH)
Ford Field (Detroit)
2 p.m., ESPN and the ESPN App
SERVPRO First Responder Bowl: Louisiana vs. Western Kentucky
Gerald J. Ford Stadium (Dallas)
5:30 p.m., ESPN and the ESPN App
Guaranteed Rate Bowl: Baylor vs. Michigan State
Chase Field (Phoenix)
9 p.m., ESPN and the ESPN App
WEDNESDAY, Dec. 27
Military Bowl: Wake Forest vs. Memphis
Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium (Annapolis, Maryland)
2 p.m., ESPN and the ESPN App
Duke’s Mayo Bowl: Duke vs. Kentucky
Bank of America Stadium (Charlotte, North Carolina)
5:30 p.m., ESPN and the ESPN App
Holiday Bowl: Syracuse vs. Washington State
Petco Park (San Diego)
8 p.m., Fox
TaxAct Texas Bowl: Kansas vs. Texas A&M
NRG Stadium (Houston)
9 p.m., ESPN and the ESPN App
THURSDAY, Dec. 28
Wasabi Fenway Bowl: Boston College vs. Navy
Fenway Park (Boston)
11 a.m., ESPN and the ESPN App
Bad Boy Mowers Pinstripe Bowl: Illinois vs. Louisville
Yankee Stadium (New York)
2:15 p.m., ESPN and the ESPN App
Pop-Tarts Bowl: Notre Dame vs. Kansas State
Camping World Stadium (Orlando, Florida)
5:45 p.m., ESPN and the ESPN App
Valero Alamo Bowl: Oklahoma vs. Oregon
Alamodome (San Antonio)
9:15 p.m., ESPN and the ESPN App
FRIDAY, Dec. 29
TaxSlayer Gator Bowl: Miami (FL) vs. Mississippi State
TIAA Bank Field (Jacksonville, Florida)
Noon, ESPN and the ESPN App
Tony the Tiger Sun Bowl: NC State vs. UCLA
Sun Bowl Stadium (El Paso, Texas)
2 p.m., CBS
AutoZone Liberty Bowl: UCF vs. Auburn
Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium (Memphis, Tennessee)
3:30 p.m., ESPN and the ESPN App
SATURDAY, Dec. 30
TransPerfect Music City Bowl: Maryland vs. Missouri
Nissan Stadium (Nashville, Tennessee)
2 p.m., ABC and the ESPN App
Barstool Sports Arizona Bowl: Air Force vs. Ohio
Arizona Stadium (Tucson, Arizona)
4:30 p.m.
MONDAY, Jan. 1
ReliaQuest Bowl: Clemson vs. Ole Miss
Raymond James Stadium (Tampa, Florida)
Noon, ESPN2 and the ESPN App
Cheez-It Citrus Bowl: Wisconsin vs. Tennessee
Camping World Stadium (Orlando, Florida)
1 p.m., ABC and the ESPN App
There is still plenty of college football to be played, but this is how CBS Sports currently has the College Football Playoff and other bowl games playing out. More big-time matchups are coming up this weekend, including Utah-Oregon State, USC-Colorado, Texas-Kansas and LSU-Ole Miss.